Linear electric motor and displacement process

ABSTRACT

A pair of electrical coils are constrained for movement in different directions in the flux field of a magnet and are coupled together for producing a combined output in a single path responsive to the simultaneous magnetomovement of the coils.

NOV. 6, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 Wallskog LINEAR ELECTRIC MOTORAND DISPLACEMENT PROCESS [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS[75] Inventor: Alan G. Wallskog, Prospect Heights,

[73] Assignee: Teletype Corporation, Skokie, 11].

3,497,730 2/1970 Doolittle......,....,................... 3,457,4827/1969 Sawyer........ 3,449,754 6/1969 [22] Filed: May 12, 1972 [21]Appl. No.: 252,697

Primary Examiner-Gerald Goldberg Attorney.l. L. Landis Related US.Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 41,335, May 28, 1970, Pat.No.

[57] ABSTRACT A pair of electrical coils are constrained for movement indifferent directions in the flux field of a magnet and are coupledtogether for producing a combined output in a single path responsive tothe simultaneous magnetomovement of the coils.

13 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures MooUMoo /6 6 1 1 843 1 1 3 3 1 2 l 2 0 l 83H .0 18 "M7 1 3 n .3 5 n "W 7 m m "m n 8 11. 3 m mh n "r n u .e m L 0 aS Ld I i U h F 1 1] 2 l8 5 55 rt [I PAIENIEBnnv 61975 377L034 SHEET 2 nrQ as 50 62 2a sea- COLUMN COUNTER |Q8 IP72 r94 H0 H21 24 5 DELAYIMPELLER 2s PATENTEI] NEW 6 I973 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

3771.034 SHEET 3 BF 3 VERTICAL POSITION ADDER I42 I ADDER I FEED |94BACK A SUBTRACTO l: FEED 9 A K L 68 l80 |14 I82 HORIZONTAL P REGISTERPOSITION E553 |o4 1 I70 h PRIME 24 CHARACTER 26 GEN R DELAY IMPELLERTRIGGER LINEAR ELECTRIC MOTOR AND DISPLACEMENT PROCESS This applicationis a division of application Ser. No. 41,335, filed May 28, 1970, nowU.S. Pat. No. 3,696,204.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to teleprinters.Particularly the invention relates to a mechanism in a teleprinter forcontrolling a carrier to present any selected die supported thereby ateach in a succession of printing stations for reproducing a line ofintelligence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A teleprinter adapted as a terminal is oftenassociated with an intelligence storage or bank for intelligencetranslation. Conventionally, a teleprinter has a carrier for dies of aplurality of symbols or characters from which selection is made forprinting. The dies are arranged selectively to be driven at a printingstation by an impeller into a printing mode.

In one class of teleprinters, the web on which intelligence isreproduced is immobilized from horizontal shifting during printing. Toeffect printing then, the impeller is adapted for translocation in stepsto successive adjoining horizontally aligned stations. At eachsuccessive station a selected die is presented; and to that end meansare adapted for moving the die carrier to successive stations and foradjusting the carrier to align a selected die with the impeller.

In the art of intelligence recovery, significant resources have been andcurrently are being invested to increase the speed of intelligencereproduction to maximize the availability of intelligence bank orstorage facilities or the intelligence contained therein. Productioncosts of improvement which heretofore have been developed parallelincrease in speed the speed of intelligence recovery achieved therebyand accordingly, tend to limit exploitation of the innovations.

The disclosure of the present invention is related to material disclosedand claimed in two contemporaneously-filed applications now U.S. Pat.No. 3,688,035 in the name of G. Cless and U.S. Pat. 3,641,583 in thename of G. Cless and J. L. DeBoo.

It is an object of the present invention rapidly to translateintelligence.

It is another object of the invention to minimize the cost ofintelligence translation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved terminalfor a data storage system.

Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedteleprinter.

7 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To effect the foregoing and other objectswhich shall become apparent from ensuing description, the presentinvention has been adapted for a teleprinter. A plurality of dies whichcomprise the printing means of the teleprinter are supported in aplurality of rows and columns from a carrier which is moveably arrangedfor disposition at a printing station. A linear electric motor with acombination output having axial components in a plurality of dimensionsis adapted for adjusting the carrier to present any selected die at theprinting station.

From another aspect, the foregoing objects are achieved according to theinvention summarized as aforesaid with means for moving any selected diebetween passive and printing modes and additional means associated withthe motor for translocating said moving means to successive printingstations.

From still another aspect, the foregoing objects are achieved accordingto the present invention by algebraically combining a spacing positionsignal with a signal representative of the horizontal or column positionwithin the type carrier of the desired type die and using this combinedsignal to energize a type-carrier moving means to bring the desired typedie to the printing station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the ensuing detailed description,reference is had to the accompanying drawings on which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention embodied in a teleprinterand looking toward the front thereof from its platen;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the teleprinter looking from the frontthereof toward the platen, parts being broken away for illustration;

FIG. 3 is a view according to the section line 3-3 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view according to the section line 4-4 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an electrical scheme for the teleprinter;

FIG. 6 is a partial view the teleprinter showing an alternate embodimentof the type carrier positioning mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a logic system for operating theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 6;

Detailed Description First Embodiment Referring now to the accompanyingdrawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, inclusive, ateleprinter 10 is referred to. This teleprinter 10 is more fullydescribed and is claimed in the above-mentioned G. Cless application,which is incorporated herein by reference. However, sufficient of thedisclosure of the G. Cless application is reproduced herein for purposeof convenient illustration of the present invention. The teleprinter 10comprises a platen 12 which may be of conventional construction andcylindrical configuration and is immobilized from lateral or horizontalshifting'. The platen is adapted for supporting a web 14 (FIG. 3), suchas paper or the like on which intelligence' is reproduced andisrotatable about its longitudinal and horizontally extending axis forshifting the web vertically a line at a time in a conventional manner.Means (not shown) which may be conventional are arranged for supportingan inked ribbon 16 longitudinally of the axis of platen 1'2 and spacedslightly forwardly of the web 14.

A box or carrier 18 is disposed slightly forwardly from ribbon l6; andis arranged for movement horizontally, longitudinally of the axis ofplaten 12. The carrier supports a font of type or dies 20 (FIG. 1) whichare arranged in horizontal rows 19 and in vertical columns 21 only someof which are numbered. In accordance with conventional practice, thedies may be faced with alphanumeric characters and selected otherdesigns or symbols; and each has an exposed shank 22 which extendsforwardly from the carrier.

By means not shown, each of the dies 20 is biased or urged forwardly toa non-print or passive mode in which its printing face is spacedslightly forwardly from ribbon 16. However, each die is mounted formovement horizontally transversally of the axis of platen 12 between itspassive or non-print mode and a print mode in which it has been drivenrearwardly against its normal bias into contact with ribbon 16 forprinting in a conventional fashion on web 14.

Means for moving dies 20 between passive and printing modes comprises animpeller or solenoid 24 whose driven member terminates in a striker 26.The latter is normally biased or urged to a withdrawn or forwardposition and is arranged for movement in a path coincident with the pathof movement of a selected die. Moreover, the dimensions of the strikerare such that when the impeller is actuated, only a selected die will bedriven toward a print mode.

Carrier 18 is arranged for adjustment vertically as well hashorizontally; and the parts are proportioned such that at any adjustedposition a single one of the dies 20 will be disposed suitably forprinting at a printing station. Teleprinter is adapted for a printingstation which moves horizontally a space at a time, whereby a successionof symbols can be formed to print a line of intelligence. Accordingly,impeller 24, the position of which defines a printing station,isarranged for successive horizontal movements.

In accordance with the present invention, a linear electric motor,generally designated 28, comprises means for adjusting carrier 18 alonga vector having values referable to a pair of orthogonal coordinates(herein being vertical and horizontal) is a planar or two-axis system toselect a die for printing. Moreover, said motor comprises means formoving said carrier to successive printing stations; and said motor alsocomprises means for translocating impeller 24 to successive printingstations simultaneously with movement and adjustment of carrier 18.

Motor 28 is comprises of a permanent magnet 30 and a magnet loopdefining a magnetic circuit. The latter is fashioned from a pair ofhorizontally extending parallel magnetic bars or rails 32 and 34 whichare preferably of equal length. They have opposed end portions 36 and 38which are connected by a magnetic bridge 40 and opposed end portions 42and 44 which are connected by a magnetic bridge 46. Rails 32 and 34 andbridges 40 and 46 are fabricated from a material of low magneticreluctance and retentivity, such as soft iron, said rails being magneticsegments in said magnetic circuit between which a non-magnetic or airgap 48 is formed.

As illustrated, the permanent magnet may be a rectangular block which isdisposed within the magnetic loop. It is magnetized through itsthickness (its North and South poles being conventially designated N andS) with one of its polar faces secured by a suitable cement to the innerface of rail 32 and its opposite polar face parallel to the inner faceof rail 34. Thereby, a magnetic flux field is generated across gap 48.

In accordance with the teachings of the abovementioned contemporaneouslyfiled application of G. Cless and J. L. DeBoo, a pair of electricalcoils 50 and 52, respectively, have coil segments 54 and 56 which aredisposed in air gap 48 whereby upon development of an electrical effectin said coils, they become inductively coupled in the magnetic fluxfield. Coil 50 is circumposed about rail 34 with the direction of itswinding in segment 54 cutting the lines of flux in air gap 48 such thatwhen a current passes through said coil a magnetomotive force isgenerated impelling coil 50 longitudinally of said rail in a horizontalpath defined thereby and parallel to rows 19 of said dies. The coil 52is used to move the type carrier 18 vertically.

Coil 50 is physically connected to a coupler fashioned as a trolley 58which has a body 60 from which are supported a plurality of upper andlower guide rollers 62. They engage a pair of opposed ribs 63 fashionedon and longitudinally of the upper and lower surfaces of rail 34 formoving the trolley longitudinally, thereof. Coil 50 is rigidly securedto body 60 and, when said coil is motivated, trolley 58 will be causedto move horizontally and in a direction, to or fro, corresponding to thedirection of current flowing in said coil.

Means associated with motor 28 for translocating impeller 24 tosuccessive printing stations comprises an electrical coil or winding 68.It is circumposed about rail 34 and has a vertical segment with strandsextending transversely of said rail 34 and disposed in air gap 48 suchthat upon production of an electrical effect in said coil, amagnetomotive force will be generated causing coil movement in ahorizontal path longitudinally of rail 34.

A bracket 72 which supports impeller 24 is rigidly secured to coil 68for translocating said impeller horizontally, parallel to rows 19, thedirection of translocation being according to the direction of currentflow in said coil. Translocation of the impeller is facilitated by apair of opposed rollers 74 which are carried from bracket 72 and engageribs 63 for guiding the impeller longitudinally of rail 34.

Exemplary means for simultaneously adjusting carrier 18 whereby anyselected die is disposed at a printing station and for stepping ormoving said carrier to successive printing stations and also forcorrespondingly translocating impeller 24 comprises circuitry 76 (FIG.5). This circuitry is described more fully in the above-mentioned G.Cless application.

In consequence of the foregoing, through the agency of a linear electricmotor with plural outputs, simultaneously carrier 18 can be adjustedvertically and horizontally for bringing a die corresponding to anavailable character into a printing position while the carrier is alsomoved horizontally to a proper position of succession corresponding to aprinting station, and while impeller 24 is stepped or advanced from anexisting to the next ensuing printing station. Moreover, in the presentembodiment adjustment and movement of carrier 18 will be along a vectorcomprised of a pair of values corresponding to intersecting coordinatesin a planar, two-axis system and correlatable to effects generated incoils 50 and 52.

Second Embodiment Scissors Positioning Mechanism Referring now to FIGS.6 and 7 of the accompanying drawing, there is shown in FIG. 6 analternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the coils 54 and56 and their associated mechanical arrangements cooperating to positiontype carrier 18 have been replaced by a pair of coils and 142 which aremounted on two trolleys 144 and 146. The two trolleys are mounted on themagnetic rail 34 in much the same way that the trolley 58 is mounted onthe rail 34 in FIG. 2. The coils 140 and 142 are independently operable.

A scissors mechanism 150 is pivotally attached to the trolleys 144 and146 at two pivots 152 and 154, respectively, which are at the ends oftwo bars 156 an'd 158 of the scissors mechanism 150. One of the bars 156is pivoted at approximately its midpoint to the other bar 158. The otherend of the bar 156 is pivotally mounted to the type carrier 18 at apivot 162, and the other bar 158 is slidably mounted in a slot 164 inthe type carrier 18.

It can be seen that, if the trolleys 144 and 146 are made to movehorizontally across the magnetic rail 34 but always remain the samedistance apart, the type carrier 18 will be adjusted horizontally butnot vertically. It can also be seen from the scissors mechanism 150that, if the trolleys 144 and 146 are moved closer together, thescissors mechanism 150 will cause the type carrier to raise in thevertical direction as shown in FIG. 6. Similarly, if the trolleys 144and 146 are made to move away from each other, the scissors mechanism150 will cause the type carrier 18 to move down in a vertical directionas shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 7, in order to adjust the positions of thetrolleys 144 and 146 along the rail 34 in FIG. 6, signals representativeof the location of the desired type die within the type carrier 18 aregenerated at an output terminal 170 by a character generator circuit172. The horizontal component of this type element location signal isdelivered to a horizontal positioning register 174. The verticalposition signal designating the vertical position within the typecarrier 18 of the desired type die is delivered to a vertical positionregister 176.

At a desired timing instant, a trigger signal is generated at an outputterminal 178 of the character generator 172. This trigger signal isdelivered to the horizontal position register 174, the vertical positionregister 176, and to a space register 180. The space register containsinformation representative of the position along the platen 12 at whichprinting is to occur, that is, the location of the printing station. Theoutput of the spacing register 180 is delivered to a feedback amplifier182 which drives the coil 68 that is connected to the impeller bracket72 in order to position the impeller 24 (FIG. 2) at the printingstation. The feedback circuit 104 provides the feedback signal for thefeedback amplifier 182, as explained in connection with FIG. 5.

The spacing signal from the space register 180 is also supplied to anadding circuit 184 which adds the space signal with the horizontal typedie location signal from the horizontal position register 174 to arriveat an algebraic sum of the printing station signal and the signalrepresentative of the horizontal location or column of the die withinthe type carrier 18. The output of the adder circuit 184 is delivered toanother adder 186 and to a subtractor circuit 188. The output of thevertical position register is also delivered to the adder 186 and thesubtracter 188. Therefore, the output of the vertical position registeris added to the horizontal position signal from the adder 184 in theadder 186 and the output of the vertical position register is subtractedfrom the output of the adder circuit 184 in the subtracter circuit 188.

The outputs of the adder 186 and the subtracter 188 are delivered to apair of feedback amplifiers 190 and 192 which are connected to the coils142 and 140 of the mechanism of FIG. 6.. Suitable feedback circuits 194and 196 are also connected to the feedback amplifier 190 and 192. It canreadily be seen from FIG. 7 that the position of the coils and 142 andwith them their associated trolleys 144 and 146 represent the sum of thehorizontal spacing and horizontal type carrier position. The differencebetween these two coils (and their associated trolleys) represents thevertical position of the desired type die within the type carrier 18.

The trigger signal from the output terminal 178 is also delivered to adelay circuit 198. When vertical and horizontal movements of the typecarrier 18 have been accomplished, the delay circuit 198 will havecompleted its delay interval and will send a signal to the im peller 24to cause its striker 26 to move the selected type die to its printingmode.

Although various specific embodiments of the invention are shown in thedrawings and described in the foregoing specification it will beunderstood that invention is not limited to the specific embodimentsdescribed, but is capable of modification and rearrangement andsubstitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A linear motion device comprising:

a core structure defining a gap having substantially perpendicularlongitudinal, lateral, and vertical dimensions;

a permanent magnet having substantially perpendicular longitudinal,lateral, and vertical dimensions and having parallel pole faces spacedby said magnet vertical dimension;

means supporting said permanent magnet on said core structure forestablishing a magnetic field across said gap extending substantiallyparallel to said gap vertical dimension and of substantially uniformintensity along said gap longitudinal dimension;

a rigid drive coil structure comprised of a plurality of turns of afirst conductor elongated in the direction of said gap lateral dimensionand at least partially disposed in said gap; and

means supporting said drive coil structure for reciprocal movement inthe direction of said magnet and gap longitudinal dimensions, thedimension of said drive coil structure in a direction parallel to saidlongitudinal dimensions being smaller than said magnet longitudinaldimension.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said gap longitudinal dimension issubstantially larger than said gap vertical dimension.

3. A linear electric motor comprising:

a magnetic flux field;

a pair of electrical coils, each coil mounted in said flux field formovement simultaneously with and in a direction different from thedirection of movement of the other coil in response to an electricalsignal;

means for constraining the movement of said coils to a single dimension;and

means for coupling the simultaneous movement of said coils to produce acombined output.

4. A motor according to claim 3 further characterized by a pair ofspaced apart magnetic segments defining a magnetic circuit with an airgap between said segments, said coils having portions disposed in saidair gap.

5. A motor according to claim 3 having means for generating a pair ofsimultaneous effects in said coils and driving said coupling means in apath having changing values relatable to intersecting coordinator in atwo axis system.

6. A linear motor comprising: two independent outputs havingsimultaneous output motions in different directions in the same lineardimension; means for coupling the output motions; and means responsiveto the coupling means for displacing a member simultaneously lineallyand in a dimension intersecting the path of lineal displace ment bydistances which are functions of the movements of said outputs. 7. Amotor according to claim 6 further having: means for generating amagnetic flux field; two conductive coils comprising said outputsmounted in the flux field; and means for separately passing electriccurrent through said coils in accordance with the desired position ofthe member. 8. A motor according to claim 7 wherein the field generatingmeans comprises a permanent magnet.

9. An apparatus-according to claim 7 wherein the coupling means isconnected to said coils.

10. A motor according to claim 6 wherein the coupling means comprises ascissors mechanism having a pair of pivotally interconnected bars, oneend of one of said bars pivotally connected to one of said outputs,

one end of the other of said bars pivotally connected to the other ofsaid outputs, and the other ends of said bars connected to saiddisplacing means.

11. A process for displacing a member to any selected position in aplane and comprising the steps of:

applying a pair of signals, separately, to a pair of electrical coilsmagnetomotively disposed in a flux field; moving the coilssimultaneously in different directions in the same dimension throughselected dis tances governed individually by and in response to the twosignals; and translocating the member in a plane in a path having valuesrelatable to a two axis system in response to the movement of the coils.12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the translocating stepcomprises:

displacing the member relative to a first axis parallel to saiddimension for a distance which is a function of the distances throughwhich the said coils move; and displacing the member relative to asecond axis which intersects said first axis a distance which is afunction of the difference between the distances through which the coilsmove. 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the displacings occursimultaneously.

1. A linear motion device comprising: a core structure defining a gaphaving substantially perpendicular longitudinal, lateral, and verticaldimensions; a permanent magnet having substantially perpendicularlongitudinal, lateral, and vertical dimensions and having parallel polefaces spaced by said magnet vertical dimension; means supporting saidpermanent magnet on said core structure for establishing a magneticfield across said gap extending substantially parallel to said gapvertical dimension and of substantially uniform intensity along said gaplongitudinal dimension; a rigid drive coil structure comprised of aplurality of turns of a first conductor elongated in the direction ofsaid gap lateral dimension and at least partially disposed in said gap;and means supporting said drive coil structure for reciprocal movementin the direction of said magnet and gap longitudinal dimensions, thedimension of said drive coil structure in a direction parallel to saidlongitudinal dimensions being smaller than said magnet longitudinaldimension.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said gap longitudinaldimension is substantially larger than said gap vertical dimension.
 3. Alinear electric motor comprising: a magnetic flux field; a pair ofelectrical coils, each coil mounted in said flux fiEld for movementsimultaneously with and in a direction different from the direction ofmovement of the other coil in response to an electrical signal; meansfor constraining the movement of said coils to a single dimension; andmeans for coupling the simultaneous movement of said coils to produce acombined output.
 4. A motor according to claim 3 further characterizedby a pair of spaced apart magnetic segments defining a magnetic circuitwith an air gap between said segments, said coils having portionsdisposed in said air gap.
 5. A motor according to claim 3 having meansfor generating a pair of simultaneous effects in said coils and drivingsaid coupling means in a path having changing values relatable tointersecting coordinator in a two axis system.
 6. A linear motorcomprising: two independent outputs having simultaneous output motionsin different directions in the same linear dimension; means for couplingthe output motions; and means responsive to the coupling means fordisplacing a member simultaneously lineally and in a dimensionintersecting the path of lineal displacement by distances which arefunctions of the movements of said outputs.
 7. A motor according toclaim 6 further having: means for generating a magnetic flux field; twoconductive coils comprising said outputs mounted in the flux field; andmeans for separately passing electric current through said coils inaccordance with the desired position of the member.
 8. A motor accordingto claim 7 wherein the field generating means comprises a permanentmagnet.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the coupling meansis connected to said coils.
 10. A motor according to claim 6 wherein thecoupling means comprises a scissors mechanism having a pair of pivotallyinterconnected bars, one end of one of said bars pivotally connected toone of said outputs, one end of the other of said bars pivotallyconnected to the other of said outputs, and the other ends of said barsconnected to said displacing means.
 11. A process for displacing amember to any selected position in a plane and comprising the steps of:applying a pair of signals, separately, to a pair of electrical coilsmagnetomotively disposed in a flux field; moving the coilssimultaneously in different directions in the same dimension throughselected distances governed individually by and in response to the twosignals; and translocating the member in a plane in a path having valuesrelatable to a two axis system in response to the movement of the coils.12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the translocating stepcomprises: displacing the member relative to a first axis parallel tosaid dimension for a distance which is a function of the distancesthrough which the said coils move; and displacing the member relative toa second axis which intersects said first axis a distance which is afunction of the difference between the distances through which the coilsmove.
 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the displacings occursimultaneously.